1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to computer data entry, and more particularly to efficient alphanumeric character entry using an input device, such as a game controller.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since the advent of the home video game, the game controller has become a fixture in homes worldwide. In its typical form, the video game controller constitutes a hand-held base with a joystick or keypad for directional control and a keypad of buttons that perform a variety of functions, such as fire, run, and jump. Games and game consoles have evolved to provide additional utility and interaction. For example, games and game consoles currently allow users to input alphanumeric data to enhance the user experience, such as allowing web browsing email access, and/or to allow the user to personalize games.
Initially, manufacturers provided this functionality by shipping separate keyboard units to users to allow entry of alphanumeric data. These electronic keyboards use a standard QWERTY key arrangement for data entry. The QWERTY key arrangement is used in standard keyboards that contain the letters Q-W-E-R-T-Y beginning at the upper left end of the second row from the top.
FIG. 1 shows a prior art keyboard having a standard QWERTY key arrangement. The layout of the keyboard is divided into four sections: text entry section 10, navigation section 20, numeric keypad section 30, and function key section 40. The text entry section 10 comprises five rows of keys, wherein the first row is composed mainly of numeric keys and punctuation keys, the second through fourth rows are comprised mainly of alphabetical and punctuation keys, and the fifth row is comprised mainly of the space bar. Tab, Caps Lock, Shift, Control, Alt, and Enter keys are generally disposed on the left and right extremities of rows two through five. As mentioned above, the alphabetical keys are arranged in the QWERTY pattern.
The navigation section 20 includes an upper portion comprised of two rows of three navigation and editing keys. These include the Insert, Delete, Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down keys. A lower portion includes arrow keys for controlling the motion of the cursor. Typically, the Up Arrow is disposed singly in a first row and the Left, Down and Right Arrows are disposed together in a second row. The numeric keypad section 30 includes five rows of numeric and mathematical symbol keys with a calculator like arrangement for easy number entry.
Disposed above text entry section 10, navigation section 20, and numeric keypad section 30 is the function key section 40, which comprises a row of function keys. The function key section 40 may also include indicators 45 for displaying whether Num Lock, Caps Lock or Scroll Lock are activated.
Unfortunately, shipping an additional keyboard with a game console increases costs to the manufacturer. Although, the manufacturer could pass the costs on to the customer, the increased game console costs can reduce sales and price the console out of range of many potential customers. In response, manufactures began utilizing an “on-screen” keyboard. An on-screen keyboard is a depiction on a screen of a QWERTY keyboard, which the user can utilize to select various alphanumeric characters. However, on-screen keyboards are slow because the user must select particular keys using a pointing device.
In particular, to generate a single character entry, a user's mind must go through several steps generally not needed using conventional keyboards. First, unlike touch-typing on a conventional keyboard, an on-screen keyboard requires the user to mentally determine where the particular character is on the screen. That is, the user does not have the facilities of touch-typing afforded by a conventional keyboard. Second, the user must determine where they are coming from, that is, which key is currently selected. Third, the user must use the game controller to traverse the keys of the on-screen keyboard to move from the currently selected to key to the desired key on the on-screen keyboard, and fourth, the user must actually select the desired key. That is, the user generally must traverse to the “enter” key on the on-screen keyboard, or use an enter key on the game controller. Hence, this entire process takes much longer to accomplish than required using a conventional keyboard. For example, a sentence that may take a user three seconds to type using a conventional keyboard may take three hundred seconds to write using an on-screen keyboard.
Another arrangement used for alphanumeric data entry is the twelve-button touch-tone telephone keypad arrangement. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a prior art twelve-button touch-tone telephone keypad arrangement 200. The twelve-button touch-tone telephone keypad arrangement 200 includes twelve keys 202 each having a particular number 204 arranged four high and three wide. In addition, “*” 208 and “#” 210 keys are included next to the “0” key. Twenty-four letters of the alphabet, excluding the “Q” and “Z,” are arranged in groups 206 of three characters, located on the faces of the keys 202 numbered “2” through “9.” “Q” and “Z” vary in their location on the keypad. For example, the “Q” and “Z” can be located on the “0” key, or included on the “7” and “9” keys.
To generate a particular character using the twelve-button touch-tone telephone keypad arrangement 200, the user must determine which key 202 to press and then determine the number of times to press the key. Specifically, the user may be required to press a particular key 202 numerous times until the proper character is displayed. Typically, the first character of the set of three characters 206 on a particular key 202 will be displayed the first time the key is pressed. Subsequent characters of the set will then be displayed with each subsequent press of the same key 202. For example, to display a “C,” the user must press the number “2” key three times, first displaying the letter “A,” then the letter “B,” followed by the desired character “C.” Unfortunately, this method of alphanumeric data entry also increases the time needed to enter data. For example, to enter the word “BOY” using the above data entry method, the user must press the “2” key twice to obtain the “B,” the “6” key three times to obtain the “O,” and the “9” key three times to obtain the “Y.” To increase the speed of data entry, one prior art telephony system utilizes likely words to “guess” the correct character to display on each key press. For example, when the users presses the “2” key, the system displays an “A.” Then, when the user presses the “6” key, the system displays an “M” because the most likely word that having two letters that are available on the “2” and “6” keys is “AM.” Upon, pressing the “9” key, the entire word changes to “BOY” because the most likely word having three letters that are available on the “2,” “6,” and “9” keys is “BOY.” If this is not the desired word, the user is then allowed to correct the result by selecting other combinations.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a method for data entry that does not require the extra costs associate with extra keyboards yet allows fast alphanumeric data entry. The method should allow the user to enter alphanumeric data fast, without having to traverse long tracks of screen objects and without having to repeatedly press keys.